Till We Meet....

Yesterday, my best friend and sister, Heidi and her husband Tim welcomed a new beautiful baby girl into this world. They also had to say goodbye.

Lyla Saunders was too perfect to come to this earth. I guess her mission for this life was to test our faith and belief in our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know she is doing that for me! It has been the longest three days of my life!

Heidi stopped feeling the baby move last Friday and Saturday and went to the doctor to see if everything was alright. That is when the lightning bolt hit... there was no heart beat. She was 6 months along, due the beginning of September. The doctors had no explanation of why, or what happened.

Mom was down in Phoenix this last week helping Kelly pack up and move to Orem. Mom was planning on driving with Kelly so they could be home on Wednesday. This was before she got the news. Of course she got on the next available flight home, which was Sunday evening. Heidi waited for mom to fly home before they induced labor on her. She was in labor from 7pm Sunday night to when the baby was born at 1:30pm Monday, June 9th.

Monday we had all been at the hospital all day and Heidi wasn't progressing in labor AT ALL!! I was supposed to be at work at 2:00 for a meeting with the attorneys before I head out to D.C. 1 pm rolls around and Heidi was so exhausted from no sleep (as were Tim, and our mom's) that she rests for a while. We all went out into the waiting room to give her some quiet. I leave at 1:25 to go to work because we figure at this rate she would have the baby by Wednesday when Kelly got here. As soon as I hit the freeway, I get a call from Nicole saying that the baby was here. I called work, told them I wouldn't be there at 2 and got off the freeway at the next exit and zoomed (seriously, I don't know how I didn't run over 10 people) back to the hospital. My work could only delay the attorneys an hour, so I had to be back at 3. Right after I left, the nurse had a 'feeling' (we Mormons call it a prompting) that she should go in and check Heidi to see how she was progressing. My mom was really hesitant because she had just fallen asleep for the first time all night and wanted her to get some rest. I mean, really-- she was only dilated to a 2! The nurse lifts up the sheet and there she was! Heidi didn't even feel her! The doctor wasn't even there!! The nurse delivered the baby. What a site to behold! It was a mixture of a spiritual and TOTAL emotional experience. I am so blessed that Heidi and Tim let me be a part of this day. Little Lyla looked like a doll. She was 1 pound 12 ounces and 14.25 inches long. The hospital gave Heidi a little box that a lady had put together full of the neatest things! A baby's ring, a little dress, hair bows, a picture frame, a mold for the baby's footprints and even a disposable camera!! I thought that was such neat thing for someone to do. The hospital staff was even so gracious and nice to EVERYONE that was there. I swear, I felt like a pack of wolves were there not wanting to miss one second of action. We all knew that our time with Lyla would be short.

My heart is just sick for my sister and her family. I have been crying for 3 days straight now. I think my tear ducts are all tapped out because I have nothing left. (at least I think I don't, then it starts up again.... like right now...) I can't speak for anyone else but me, but like I said before, I think that this is a test of faith. Of MY faith. And believe me, mine has been very VERY wobbly. What a blessed day when they will see their little angel again. I can't wait to be at that reunion. If that is not incentive enough to be a righteous person, I don't know what is.

(most of this picture is blanket. She was teeny tiny!!)